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Arin was sitting in the corridor outside of Dan’s room waiting. They just arrived from the Jersey show.
There were cheers and chants screamed from the crowd, everyone had an amazing time and were showing the Grumps just how much it had meant to them.
The corridors are so clean here. Clean, and bright, white, clinical. Even so, Arin could’ve sworn it was darker here than anywhere else he could be.
Dan was giddy as they left the stage, he bounced around, laughing for no reason, so happy to have been able to perform in his home town once again. It had been infectious, as Arin laughed alongside him.
Arin was unsure what was getting to him more at this point, the tears that kept blurring his vision or the incessant beeping of machines he could hear from the rooms nearby. He’d move away to remove the latter annoyance, but he felt frozen where he sat. Frozen again.
Arin and Dan had started joking as they headed down to the dressing room, then joking turned to kissing, soon to teasing, and back to kissing. They were safe away from prying eyes backstage, but Arin couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut for the few seconds he should’ve.
He was tired. So fucking tired, but couldn’t sleep. Not here, not now. Not until Arin knew his partner was okay.
“Hey Dan,” Arin said, between giggles, a new joke already in mind just moments after Dan had started walking again, “Look here a second would ya babe?”
Dan had been giggling too, he turned around as he reached the top of the stairs, “Yeah Ar? Oh all mighty master of funnies, wha- whoa!”
Arin sniffled, trying to hold back tears once more but couldn’t, letting the floodgates loose as he replayed that moment from a few hours ago over and over again in his mind.
As Dan had turned around, he lost his balance at the top of the stairs and tumbled backward, while Arin watched on in horror. Luckily it wasn’t many steps, but Arin still didn’t see Dan get up after hearing the thump of him hitting the floor.
“Stupid, so fucking stupid,” Arin mumbled, voice slightly higher pitched than it would normally be as he continued to cry. “Should’ve caught him, should’ve helped him…”
Arin felt like he had stood in place for hours while Dan fell, even though it had likely only been a few seconds before one of the venue staff had yelled for the first aiders, and another was calling the ambulance. It was then Arin finally managed to move forward, seeing Dan was out cold, his head being looked over. Everything was a blur.
Now Arin was still waiting in the hospital corridor. They wouldn’t let him see Dan yet. He hated waiting, it was the worst. No. No the worst part was not knowing. What if Dan was in serious trouble? What if Dan was in a coma? Oh God, what if Arin never got to see Dan laugh ever again? Or, or, or-
“Mr. Hanson?”
Arin whipped his head towards the nurse who was calling him, wiping his tears and clearing his throat “Yeah? How, um, how is he?”
Arin was dreading the answer, although the fact that the nurse was smiling was helping to ease his nerves a bit.
“Much better than we first thought,” she explained. “We had to wait until he was awake to see if there was any serious damage, but from what we can tell he just has a mild concussion. Oh, and a sprained ankle.”
“Oh thank fuck,” Arin mumbled, relief washing over him. Then he realised something. “Did you just say he’s awake now? I can see him then, right?”
“Of course. Just follow me.”
The second Dan saw Arin walk in he smiled. The second Arin saw Dan awake he started laughing lightly, then immediately started crying at the same time.
“Hey, hey, I’m okay, Ar,” Dan said, patting some space he made on his bed for Arin to sit down, “Come here, Big Cat.”
Arin didn’t need to be told twice, taking his place next to Dan, pulling him into a hug.
“I thought that… I didn’t think… I’m sorry,” Arin mumbled between sobs.
“I know, I know,” Dan held him, comforting him. “But it’s not your fault I got hurt, I just lost my footing. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”
Arin slowly calmed down, as he and Dan were able to chat until Dan grew tired. The doctor said Dan could be discharged tomorrow morning and should be able to perform the final show of the tour so long as he took things easy. Arin would make sure he did. Because as much as Dan would deny it, this was still Arin’s fault.
Dan was sitting, waiting in his dressing room before the VIP Q&A. Specifically, he was waiting to have a quick chat with Arin. Ever since his boyfriend had picked him up from the hospital that morning he’d been acting kind of strange.
… Well, strange in a not-Arin-strange way.
He seemed almost angry when anyone asked Dan to do something, very clearly pointing to the ankle brace as if to show Dan was supposed to be resting. During soundcheck Arin wouldn’t let up from Dan, constantly checking on him rather than the equipment. Dan was pretty shocked Arin had actually left his side to take a piss instead of carrying Dan to the bathroom with him. Not that Dan would have let Arin go that far, but still.
It didn’t take that long for Arin to return, giving a small smile. “Okay, we’re on for the VIP lovelies soon. You ready?”
“No,” Dan replied, “We need to talk about today first.”
“What do you mean?” Arin asked, clearly confused as he came and sat by Dan.
“I mean your attitude dude, where the hell is my goofy guy today?” Dan asked.
Arin stuttered, trying to deny anything was wrong, but couldn’t keep it up with the way Dan glared at him.
“I just want to protect you better, I guess,” Arin eventually said, looking embarrassed
“What? Oh, Ar, is this about last night? Because I already told you that it’s not-”
“But it is!” Arin cut him off, throwing up his arms in frustration. “I distracted you and you fell, I didn’t think, or pay attention, or, or anything!”
“Arin,” Dan held his hand, “Maybe that did happen, but I could’ve stopped walking to look at you. I knew the stairs were right there and kept goofing around with you anyway. Maybe you could argue that it was your fault, but it could just as easily be my fault. Please, Big Cat, can we just move forward and agree it was no one’s fault really?”
It took him a few moments, but eventually, Arin nodded and kissed Dan. “I promise, Danny. I love you.”
Dan smiled back, he always loved hearing that. “I love you, too. Now, let’s go have one hell of a final show!”
The show went by in a flash as the two found themselves waving goodbye to the fans. It had been an incredible show. Arin was smiling, Dan was laughing, and soon enough the crowd started to cheer even louder as Arin picked Dan up bridal style and carried him off stage.
Maybe one day they’d let the fans in on this. In on the fact they were dating. But for now, bar the sprained ankle, Dan thought that everything was just perfect the way it was.