My Spirit Love (phan)

二十二 - 𝓕𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓽 𝓓𝓸𝓸𝓻

The youngest Lester sat with his head in his palms, his feet drumming against the floor as his elbows dug into the kitchen counter. He felt the nerves along his back and shoulders vibrate, and with it his arms shook. Daniel sat beside him, placing a hand between his shoulder blades as his eyes tried to find his, "Phil?" he quietly asked.

The eighteen-year-old was hunched over his gut, the sickness in his stomach turning to cramps over the last few weeks. His head was pounding and his limbs were becoming harder to lift, but the physical illness was barely noticeable to him. He turned to Dan and chuckled, "Hey, Dan." the spirit uncomfortably shuffled, removing his palm and sitting upright. Phil's head darted behind him to the window as a large red van casually passed by.

Dan nervously chuckled, his fingertips drumming against the side, "Do you want to watch a film upstairs?" he suggested, shuffling closer once he caught Phil's eye-line.

The older boy giggled, "Sure, after I get dinner out the oven."

Daniel sighed, sliding off of the stool and walking around to the other side of the counter, his elbows opposite Phil's and his head ducking down to his level. Dan ran his palm over his forehead, the fringe on his face dragging into a quiff, "You didn't put food in the oven." he quietly hummed, watching his best friend's eyes.

"Oh." Phil puzzlingly sighed, looking towards the oven, but Dan wouldn't let his eyes away from his own, "Dan, I'm okay-"

"Bullshit." Dan snapped, standing upright and walking to the doorway. He swallowed to pull back the water in his eyes, "I don't want to stick around if I've already lost you." he dragged the thought away, shamefully tugging at his jumper's sleeves, "Why haven't you gone back to therapy, yet?" he wearily asked. He felt helpless; he wanted to be able to take him away, take him to the countryside so they could have a break and get out of this fucking house, but he couldn't. Dan was stuck here, so they'd both be. He couldn't even book a God damn therapy session for him.

"I just haven't got round to booking another appointment." he shrugged, standing up and opening the oven. He looked up, closing the door and pursing his lips, "Right. Didn't put food in."

The spirit could see him shaking, and the muscles in his cheeks twitch. He sighed, turning away and walking up the stairs to their bedroom, "Call your brother," he told Phil, "you haven't talked in a while."

Phil's roots were spreading down his hair, the natural lighter tones flowing into the dyed black. He nodded, following Dan a few meters behind, his fingers dialling his brother on his phone as he agreed, "Okay." he wasn't sure why Dan wanted him to call Martyn, but his boyfriend wasn't wrong; they hadn't talked for a couple of months.

He sat on his bed, the tone ringing out until the call was answered. His brother cheerfully greeted him, "Hey Phil, what's up?"

The younger brother chuckled, "I'm good, you?"

The words sounded rehearsed and Martyn noticed it immediately, "Dan told you to call me, huh?" he sighed.

Phil laughed again, "Yeah! Sorry I haven't called for a while." he shrugged, looking at Dan leaning against the window with his arms crossed. He pursed his lips at Dan's expression.

There was silence before Martyn spoke up again, "How's Mum and Dad?"

"I'm not sure." Phil truthfully admitted, the façade slowly falling away.

"So things are no better?" the older brother was already shuffling around, the sounds of a bag being packed audible to Phil.

"Mum's stopped denying Dan exists...she just doesn't want me to be with him now." he groaned, "Martyn, what are you doing?"